question regarding Holy Communion that I cannot answer

[angrylittlefisherman]

I was recently discussing the rather tired topic of real presence vs. symbolic communion etc...And I understand that from the Eastern approach even the term "real presence" doesn't really work, I believe and accept the Orthodox Church's dogma and find John 6 to be incredibly convincing in regards to this dogma as well. However I was posed a question by a friend who I would classify as "almost Orthodox but not quite" and he said that his problem lay in the Last Supper. Christ was present physically, thus the Holy Apostles could reach out and touch Him, and yet how is/was the bread His body and the wine His blood literally as well? How do the Holy Fathers approach this? (I will also be asking my priest this question, but I will not see him until Friday and this is bugging me.)

 

[Lukaris]

Perhaps this might help & it is from a catechism. Q.132: What is the most essential part of the Divine Liturgy? A. The consecration of the Holy Gifts, in which the Priest after uttering the words of Christ when He instituted the sacrament, calls upon the Holy Spirit to change the bread & wine into the true Body and Blood of Christ. (from a Catechism of the Christian Doctrine of the Holy Eastern Orthodox Catholic & Apostolic Church, Syrian Antiochian Orthodox Archdiocese of NY & all N. America, c. 1949 under then Metr. Antony Bashir).

 

[JeremiahsBulldog]

I was posed a question by a friend. . . and he said that his problem lay in the Last Supper. Christ was present physically, thus the Holy Apostles could reach out and touch Him, and yet how is/was the bread His body and the wine His blood literally as well? How do the Holy Fathers approach this? (I will also be asking my priest this question, but I will not see him until Friday and this is bugging me.)

He probably used the same laws of physics as for all His other miracles. I hear that a team of experts is working on the math right now.

 

[ArmyMatt]

I forget where I read this but some saint said that it is like taking a mirror and smashing it into little pieces. each individual piece still reflects that original image. in the Holy Eucharist, Christ's glorified body is like that original image, and the pieces are like the Bread and Wine when consecrated. despite being in many pieces, they all still fully have the image on them. similarly, despite being in many chalices around the world, each one is still the Body and Blood.

hope this helps

 

[ArmyMatt]

I guess an easier answer actually is Jesus is God, and therefore do what He wants to do. if He can fashion the universe out of nothingness, He can make bread and wine His Body and Blood. leave it to mystery